Claudia

Actor and storyteller

"I’ve lived in Sydney since I was very young, growing up in the Cross where my parents ran a nightclub, and going to school in Darlinghurst.

My transition from just acting to also writing and producing came from wanting to be a part of storytelling, and have a creative partnership.

I think support for creativity is so important in helping people not feel isolated or alone in a community – and particularly within a big city – not feeling like just another cog in the wheel.

It’s important that we celebrate creativity as a different way of thinking. You see the Reko Rennie building, and you know that his soul is on display. That’s a connection you don’t get from just having a well-paved path or a parking ticket machine that works perfectly. It’s a different sort of connection, and it’s what the City’s creative policy is all about – it’s not an extra, or an enhancement, it’s part of speaking to each other as individual human beings.

I’m really glad that my kids are growing up in the inner city, because human experiences are raw and on your doorstep. The community is on display.

Clover Moore is my hero. I’m on a bike every day – my house, my office and my kids’ school are all on a bike path. I also thank her for the park across the road that my kids grew up in, which she fought for back in the 80s."